


Circus Drabbles

by RobinDragonryder



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-16 04:56:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14804780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinDragonryder/pseuds/RobinDragonryder
Summary: A series of drabbles based on my Circus OT4. Some stories are based on anecdotes told to me by the roommate of a polyamorous group of four.





	1. Laundry

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt/anecdote: "Which one of you is wearing my underwear?"

Charity was in the kitchen when she heard the commotion coming from the living area of the complex array of tents that she somehow had come to call home. As she drew nearer, she could make out the voices of her companions—Phillip was irritated, she realized, because she wouldn't be able to hear him over PT if he wasn't. Drawing near enough to make out words, she drew up short outside the room the others argued in.

“Seriously, guys, one of you has them,” Phillip was insisting. Anne shook her head.

“Not me, this time. You know I ask before I sleep in your underpants,” she said, glancing at PT. “Probably Barnum, you know he doesn't know what 'personal property' means.” Her tone was teasing, but there was a kernel of truth in her words that none present could deny. Phineas, for his part, had the grace to look sheepish. 

“Although Phillip's underwear are quite comfortable,” he said, gesturing grandly, “I have been scolded on this once too many times and now would ask before borrowing.”

Phillip looked between his lovers and sighed. “Well, if it wasn't either of you, then where...?” he trailed off as his gaze fell on the entryway where Charity was standing, looking extremely abashed.

“Anne mentioned they were comfortable for sleeping, and, since I was doing the laundry.....” Charity's face was a bright red in embarrassment. “I had intended to wash them and return them to you before you'd noticed their absence. I apologize, Phillip.”

Phineas let out a bark of laughter at the unexpected turn of events. “Charity, my dear, you have surprised us all with your duplicitous actions. I do believe,” he added, turning to grin at Anne, “we have managed to corrupt her with the circus life. Now if we can just get Phillip to loosen up,” he teased.

“I'm not as uptight as I was when we met, at least,” Phillip replied, before smiling slightly at Charity. “Thanks for being honest. I thought for a minute that I was going crazy.”

“Sorry for causing strife,” she replied, glancing worriedly at PT and Anne, who were giggling conspiratorially. “I'll ask permission next time.”


	2. A Peculiar Noise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Anyway, I told W.D. That I—what was that?!” Anne cut herself off as a strange, haunting noise—almost like a metallic whining—sounded somewhere from another partitioned room in the tent complex.

“Anyway, I told W.D. That I—what was _that_?!” Anne cut herself off as a strange, haunting noise—almost like a metallic whining—sounded somewhere from another partitioned room in the tent complex. Her three companions looked around as well, bewildered. Charity stood and peered in the general direction the noise had come from.

“It sounded like something in pain,” she murmmered, brow creased in worry. Phineas and Phillip shared a look as Anne joined Charity straing after the mysterious noise that was occasionally repeating in the distance. After a moment, Anne started forward, following her hearing to the source of the noise. A glance at the men, then Charity followed Anne slowly. Their quest led Anne to the kitchen, and no sooner than they had crossed into the room than the noise came again, louder this time, and horrifying. Charity screamed and Anne's hand flew to her chest in shock, eyes wide.

“Stay back, Char—I'll get this,” she said, stepping in front of the older woman. “Some 'men' Phil and Phin are being, back in the other room, letting us deal with this.” Charity nodded in agreement, absently picking up a doll of Helen's that had been left on the table and holding it as she followed Anne toward the still-repeating noise.

After searching through of the food storage areas, Anne opened a curtain and realized the noise was coming from a sack of flour leaning against a large cooking pot. She gestured for Charity to step back, reaching out and seizing the sack and yanking it open, away from her face.

Nothing happened, but the noises grew louder when the bag was opened.

After a moment, the women looked at each other in puzzlement, then Anne pulled the bag to her and looked inside. A small device was inside. Charity's eyes narrowed.

“That's the mechanism to the music box that Helen broke last week,” she spoke slowly. “At least, part of it is.” As realization dawned on the women, a snort came from behind them, followed by racous laughter, and they turned to find Phineas laughing and Phillip trying not to smile in the entryway.

“Phil, dear, what might this be? Anne asked, holding out the device to the younger ringmaster. Phillip's eyes widened—he had expected the ladies to go after Phineas and let him get away with his part in the joke.

“That—uh, that is a--” he stammered, searching for an excuse before Phineas interrupted, a huge smile on his face.

“That is my latest minor invention. A joke sound device. 'Baffle your friends! Infuriate your enemies!' It'll be all the rage at the gift stands!” As Barnum effortlessly slipped into his Ringmaster mode, the women looked at each other incredulously.

“He tested it on me first, if it makes you feel any better,” Phillip added, having found his voice after a moment. Phineas grinned wickedly.

“Indeed I did. And may I say, Phillip, the look of terror on your face was far more entertaining than the ladies.”

“You set it of when I was dozing!”

As the men continued their playful bickering, Anne and Charity looked at each other in exasperation. Perhaps Lettie would assist them in plotting revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on a real story (very vaguely. It was a bluetooth speaker and a youtube video of a cat yowling. But this is before any of that existed so I improvised.)


End file.
